Once in a while I crave for chicken wings — mild, hot, teriyaki and my favourite, just good ‘ole salt and pepper. Well, this time I want to try something different. After seeing Ricardo Larrivée from the show Ricardo and Friends make this chicken wings recipe, I knew I had to try it. It’s sticky, gooey, a little spicy and I love it!
General Tao Chicken Wings
While Ricardo cooked the wings in the oven, I chose to deep-fry them. That’s right baby! I like my wings coated in grease first. There’s something about the skin turning golden brown and really crispy. As for the sauce, I followed Ricardo’s recipe. I sprinkled a little bit of toasted black sesame seeds for a nice presentation.
No, I didn't eat all of them. I know how to share.
However you choose to cook your wings, I assure you they’re finger lickin’ good! Oh yeah, and they go well with fries!
Mmm... great combo!
Here’s the recipe for Ricardo’s General Tao Chicken Wings:
Ingredients
Chicken Wings
- 24 chicken wings
- 3 tablespoons peanut or olive oil
- Salt
Sauce
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon sambal oelek
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced (optional)
Directions
Chicken Wings
- With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Line a 30 x 43-cm (12 x 17-inch) baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Cut the wings through the joints into 3 pieces. Discard the wing tips.
- Place the chicken pieces in a bowl. Coat them with the oil and season with salt. Arrange them on the cooling rack so they are not touching. Bake for 20 minutes, then turn and bake until the meat pulls easily from the bone, about 20 minutes. Finish by broiling until the skin is crisp and golden-brown.
Sauce
- In a bowl, whisk the cornstarch, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, water, fresh ginger, garlic, sambal oelek and paprika. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Cook without stirring until the mixture turns gold. Add the mixture. Simmer until the caramel has dissolved and has become syrupy.
- In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, cook the chicken in the sauce, turning the pieces until completely coated and well glazed. Garnish with green onion.
Note: To prevent the wings from becoming soft, serve them on a plate or platter instead of in a bowl.
